The Carpet, The Princess, The Djinn
by follow the halo
Summary: Aladdin comes and presents a flying carpet to the sultan. He also manages to unleash a Djinn on Agrabah. The adventures of a princess, a vizier with a secret past, a meddlesome Aladdin.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Aladdin. I also do not own the Arabian Nights.

It was dusk in Agrabah. In the royal palace, a princess sits in her room reading a book, Alf Layla wa layla. Her room is cavernous in size; she sits clothed in fine silks embroidered in gold. Intricate carved screens let in the dying sunlight, covering the floor with geometric patterns. Ornate archways towered above her; she seems mesmerized by the tale in the book, seeming not to notice the finery of her surroundings.

Jasmine, princess of Agrabah, finished reading the book and lay back on her bed. "I have read so many wonderful things, I wish that I could one day see the world, instead of being constantly trapped in a palace." Jasmine was full of thoughts when she came down for dinner with her father, the sultan. There was a quite a commotion by the time the princess reached her father's side. Just as the sultan was about to give his court the signal to retire, suddenly a group of wise men and sages appeared before his throne, bearing with them wondrous devices. It was well known that the sultan welcomed learned scholars to the palace and that he loved their new inventions, as fascinated as a child was by toys.

While her father was easily entertained, Jasmine saw that most of them were nothing more than tricksters. Some of their tricks were merely optical illusions that princess Jasmine herself had read about, accomplished by sleight of hand. Finally, the turn came for one final member of the group to present. He was quite young, wearing a red fez on his head, a purple vest, and white billowing pants.

"Your majesty, although I am the last to make my appearance before your highness, I can confidently assure you that none of the wonders you have seen today can be compared to this carpet." He proceeded to roll out a carpet made of emerald colored silk edged with golden tassels. Jasmine's eyes widened. Though the carpet looked the worse for wear, its fine details were still clearly visible; it looked as if it belonged to royalty. The rough handling of the carpet only confirmed the suspicion that the carpet did not belong to that man; it seemed vulgar somehow.

"Your majesty let me tell you the tale of this carpet._ It was said that long ago, the __Sultan of the__Indies__had three sons__Hussain__,__Ali__and__Ahmed__. All three want to marry their cousin Princess Nouronnihar, so the Sultan said he would give her to the prince who brings back the most extraordinary rare object."_

"_Prince Hussain, the eldest son of__Sultan of the Indies__, traveled to the far away __Kharidian Desert__ in search of a magic carpet that could fly. It was said that flying__ carpets made of camel hair used to be a popular and common method of transportation around the Kharidian Desert, but lost favor after the Emir of Al Kharid, the desert town, fell to his death after mistaking an ordinary carpet for his magic one. Subsequently, all magic carpets were decreed by the new emir to be destroyed. However, it was rumored that a single carpet was smuggled to safety before it could be destroyed. Certain enterprising businessmen have made a fortune in selling cheap goat hair carpets, claiming it to be the real thing…" __The sultan's court was spellbound by the tale. Nary a sound was made__; all of them were holding their collective breaths in suspense. The princess was the first to break the silence. "How can you be sure that what you're having now is the real thing?" _

"_Ah, princess, that I know for myself that this carpet can fly. In getting it, I have faced many treacherous obstacles and in return, it helped me escape many dastardly dangers, let me tell you of the time I nearly…'' crowed the young man. Growing impatient, princess Jasmine snapped. " I see nothing in it except a clever tale and an old carpet; any skilled storyteller might do as much."_

"_Your highness, it is not of its outward form that I would speak, but of the use I can make of it. I assure your Highness, this is a genuine flying carpet. I have only to mount the carpet, and to wish __myself __in some special place, and no matter how distant it may be, in a very few moments I shall find myself there. It is this that makes the carpet so marvelous, and if your Highness will allow me, you can prove it for yourself__."_

"Then I bid you mount the carpet and show what you can do," replied princess Jasmine._ The words were hardly out of Jasmine's mouth when the man sat on the carpet, and it levitated up into the air. He flew around the royal hall and out of the balcony. He flew around the palace domes and the sky was already turning dark. Swooping in through the balcony once more, the hanging lamps were already illuminated by the time he returned from his flight._

_The sultan clapped his hands in delight. "What is your name, young man?"_

"_Aladdin, your majesty," he bowed to the sultan. The sultan continued, "What would you like in return for the flying carpet?" _

"_I would give my flying carpet in exchange for the hand of princess Jasmine your daughter."_

_Princess Jasmine was not amused. "Father, how could you consider such an insolent bargain?" She stormed out of the royal hall and went to her room. "Oh dear, I really wanted a flying carpet. However, Aladdin, I cannot force Jasmine to marry against her will. The only way to win her hand is to woo her. Thus, you shall be Jasmine's suitor and I grant you a stay in the palace."_

"_Your majesty, I am most grateful for your offer." Once again, Aladdin bowed to the sultan before retiring to the guest chambers._


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Aladdin. I also do not own the Arabian Nights.

Back in her tower, princess Jasmine shed her tears. She definitely did not want to marry a vagabond with a dubious background just so her father could have new toy. However, Jasmine knew that she would still have to marry as her father was desperately trying to find a suitor for her. Sighing, Jasmine walked to the balcony. The stars in the desert sky were beautiful, just like diamonds. Princess Jasmine could see the whole of Agrabah from her balcony. She wondered about the lives of ordinary citizens, as she was not allowed out of the palace, she wondered how different their lives were. She was suddenly startled by Aladdin on his flying carpet. "Wanna come for a magic carpet ride, princess?" Spellbound, Jasmine could not resist the chance of studying the carpet up close and being able to ride it. If she had momentarily forgotten whom she was going with, it was not long before she was reminded.

"Oh, gentle princess, do not be alarmed," said Aladdin after he subtly maneuvered the carpet to nudge the princess closer to him. Jasmine simply glared at him before continuing to enjoy the scenery. The golden domes of the palace gleamed. All the lights in the houses of Agrabah looked like pinpricks in the darkness. Listening to Aladdin go on about himself was boring so she tuned him out, enjoying the night breeze instead. She noticed a curious emblem embroidered in gold thread. It was an eagle with open wings.

"…and she told me I was such a handsome man, but of course I turned her down. I knew that my heart belonged to a someone else, when I saw you, I knew that you were the one..." Aladdin blathered on. Jasmine rolled her eyes. This romantic date was beginning to lose its magic. As if sensing her boredom, Aladdin swooped low and plucked a flower for her. The princess smiled until Aladdin ruined the moment by trying to kiss her. Immediately, the princess demanded to return. Fuming, she did not even stop to look back at Aladdin.

Aladdin was desperate. This was not turning out the way he planned. He had other women, albeit wealthy and older women, clamoring for him. He didn't even have to bring them on a carpet ride. This princess was harder to get than he thought.

The following day, princess Jasmine went out for a walk in the garden alone as was her usual routine. Suddenly, she felt the presence of another person in the garden. "Go away, Aladdin!" She turned to find that the person was not Aladdin; it was Jafar, her father's vizier. "Princess, forgive me for startling you." Jafar was reading a book when he came to the garden. "No, forgive me for disrupting your reading. I thought you were someone else." Jafar quirked an amused smile. Jasmine blushed; she didn't know why the vizier's smile had such an impact on her. Her heart raced. To cover up her blush, she quickly pointed to the book in Jafar's hands.

"What are you reading?" She saw the book's title: Alf layla wa layla. _The thousand and one nights. _It was the very same book she read last night, before Aladdin came and she suddenly had a suitor to deal with.

"The thousand and one nights. My favorite story is the story of The Three Princes.

_There was once a prince of Yemen by the name of prince Hussain. This is the very same carpet that prince Hussain was looking for when he traveled west to the underground city of Petra. He wandered through the underground market looking for the most precious thing in the world, eventually finding this carpet. You see, it is no ordinary carpet."_

"_It is said that __the carpet owner showed him the carpet and its abilities, but while Hussain is about to purchase the carpet for 30 gold pieces, he was accosted by the carpet owner and several cronies. They declared that they only sold it to him to see how much money he had, and now they would kill him, take his money and keep the carpet. Hussain escapes and awakens the magic carpet. He flew through the market, past the henchmen and out of the ruins. He escapes Petra and returns home to Yemen."_

"Jasmine, Your Highness, what's wrong?" Jafar was concerned when he saw Jasmine's stricken expression. Jasmine was overcome by a wave of dizziness. Jafar unconsciously held out his hand to steady her. "Nothing." "Truly this nothing of yours is worrisome. I have just returned from al Kharid and will meet your father this evening. It is now my time of leisure hence I will be around to assist you, princess."

"Have you not heard from the court? A man came bearing a flying carpet; in exchange for it he asks my hand in marriage. Knowing my father, he likes curiosities and wondrous things. The carpet is definitely one of them. Now my father has him as my suitor and he's staying in the palace."

"And I suppose his name was Aladdin, this Aladdin who has caused your ire." And there it was again, that quirk of his smile that set her heart racing. "Princess, if he keeps up his good work, you have no need to fear that you'll fall in love with him." Jasmine laughed, it was so funny to think of her ever falling in love with Aladdin. "On a serious note, let me tell you what happened in court while you were away."

Jafar was pleased to see that he managed to make the princess laugh; she lost the tension in her shoulders, making her look beautiful. However the news she brought was mind-boggling. "_The emir of al Kharid killed by a flying carpet? What manner of nonsense has befallen Agrabah's royal court?"_ mused Jafar. He had just returned from al Kharid and never in its history did it ever happen that flying carpets made of camel hair became a popular and common method of transportation around the Kharidian Desert. The flying carpet was another matter of concern. _Where did Aladdin get his carpet?_ Finally, it was time to meet the sultan.

"Your highness, I have returned from Al-Kharid. The emir sends his regards and wishes to maintain diplomatic relations with Agrabah." Jafar bowed low before the sultan. "Oh Jafar, this delightful young man has been such pleasant company. Jafar, this is Aladdin. Aladdin, this is my royal vizier, Jafar."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Aladdin nor do I own the Arabian nights. Now I've got to add, I don't own the movie prince of Persia but I was certainly influenced by it.

Aladdin was clad in princely white robes borrowed from the palace. He looked every inch the arrogant prince, scarcely looking at Jafar when he was introduced. "Show him the carpet, Aladdin," the sultan instructed. With great flourish, he rolled out the flying carpet.

Jasmine was right. It was a very fine carpet indeed seeming somewhat familiar but Jafar could not remember why. Jafar asked, feigning interest. Aladdin glared. "What about this carpet? How did you get it?"

"Oh great and noble vizier. _If looks could kill._ I have traveled widely and I knew what I was looking for. Certainly I could find a flying carpet." Jafar simmered. This Aladdin person is definitely a shady character. He would have to talk it out with the sultan privately.

Jafar tried to warn the sultan. "I don't trust him, sire."

**The **Sultan sputtered, "Nonsense! One thing I pride myself on, Jafar... I'm an excellent judge of character."

Princess Jasmine rolled her eyes. "Oh, excellent judge, sure...yet just the other day you allowed a dubious charmer into the palace!"

"Jafar, Jasmine, you have just met him. I'm sure that you'll like him better once you spend more time in his company." With that, the sultan ended the session.

Aladdin was insanely jealous. He saw that the princess was close to that vizier, Jafar, exchanging glances, laughing in the garden together, he was sick of it. How he hated Jafar! Questioning him about the carpet and interfering with his courtship of the princess, Jafar needed to be taught a lesson. Smirking, Aladdin felt for a weight in his robes. He pulled out a gleaming lamp the color of molten gold. In truth, he has never released a Djinn before. With trembling hands, he rubs the lamp. Thick white smoke issued forth from the spout of the lamp. Aladdin took a few steps back. The smoke formed itself into the massive muscled body. "O Djinn, I command you to kill Jafar, make the princess fall in love with me and grant me great wealth."

The Djinn laughed, a booming sound that made Aladdin clap his hands over his ears. "Foolish human, I will not grant you three wishes."

"During the first hundred years' imprisonment, I swore that if anyone would deliver me before the hundred years expired, I would make him rich, even after his death: but that century ran out, and nobody did me the good office. During the second, I made an oath that I would open all the treasures of the earth to anyone that should set me at liberty; but with no better success. In the third, I promised to make my deliverer a potent monarch, to be always near him in spirit, and to grant him every day three requests, of what nature so ever they might be: but this century ran out as well as the two former, and I continued in prison. At last, being angry, or rather mad, to find myself a prisoner so long, I swore that if afterwards anyone should deliver me, I would kill him and his people without mercy."

A terrible wind blew. The palace shook to its foundations. Terrible laughter filled the air and sections of the palace began to crumble away.

"What have I done?"

In another section of the palace, the princess was startled. "What was that?" She looked out to see sections of the palace broken off, floating in a terrible sandstorm. She heard shouts from the palace guards as the fierce sands assailed their bodies.

The vizier's heart stilled. An ancient prophecy from the lands of legend had foretold the presence of a Djinn, released by a foolish man, and that of another, an exiled prince from a foreign land.

The princess, eyes widened, looked at the crack in the floor. The whole room was crumbling. Jasmine ran towards the stairs to find that it had turned into a slope. It was a wild roller coaster ride, the princess didn't seem to mind that her fine clothes were getting torn, the feel of rocks sliding across her feet as she slid down the slope. A sudden break in the slope of stairs, the princess unthinkingly jumped across to avoid falling to her death.

Landing on a parapet, she grabbed a sword from a fallen guard. A pillar of sand was swirling near the spot where he fell and Jasmine sliced through the sand pillar. An unearthly guttural howl reverberated in the air. Jasmine picked herself up and started running towards her father's chambers, hoping that he was safe. She passed by more fallen soldiers, seemingly asleep. The floor of the chambers were all flooded with sand, her footsteps left prints in the sand. "Father!" the sultan's chamber had several tall whirlwinds of sand that turned into ugly horned beasts with fangs. "Djinn…" the princess breathed in shock. With force she swung her sword into the monsters, slicing them as they turned into sand beneath her blade.

"Quick, destroy the sand pillars before they turn into monsters!" she heard the vizier cry out in warning. Together, the princess and the vizier defeated the foes. More chilling howls sounded. Jasmine rushed to her father's bedside.

"Jafar, he won't wake up," the princess said worriedly.

"Jasmine, he is in a Djinn-induced sleep. He'll be safe for now." Jinn.

Through the balcony, came in Aladdin on his carpet. Looking at Aladdin, it was plain to see the guilt on his face. Snagged on his sash was a golden lamp with cryptic inscriptions engraved on it. Realizing its presence, Aladdin jumped and threw the lamp away from him. "Cursed lamp! Stay away from me!" he shouted like a madman. It was then that realization dawned on Jafar.

"That lamp, it was you! You released the Djinn in the lamp!"

"I didn't know that this was going to happen," Aladdin said.

"The lamp and the carpet…you stole it, you didn't find it. It was not in a magical cave of wonders where you found them, you robbed a tomb," Jafar's voice softened, grief choking him.

_A prince, cloaked in robes, exiled from his land. He watches a funeral parade of his father, in fear of being caught by the guards. Together with the people, he mourned the passing of a great king. It was said that the king died out of sorrow that his youngest son had committed a crime and tainted his name…_

"How much do you know?" Aladdin asked.

"I know enough that we are in serious trouble if we do not return that Djinn to his prison," Jafar growled. He softened when he saw Jasmine's concern for her father. "Quickly, use the flying carpet so that we go to our destination faster."

Grudgingly, Aladdin handed over the carpet.


End file.
